TENNIS
Alcaraz and Rybakina want to make history in the US
Both players have lifted the Indian Wells trophy and they could do the same in Miami, something only Sampras, Graff, Djokovic, and Azarenka have done before.
Carlos Alcaraz and Elena Rybakina are having fun in the US. Both players have already triumphed in the first ATP Masters 1000 played on American soil, as they became the Indian Wells champions some days ago.
The Spanish superstar spectacularly beat Daniil Medvedev, needing only two sets to win the title, while in Miami he’s playing with the same determination and consistency as he did in California.
The current world No. 1, who recently said he feels great playing on hard courts, will now face Taylor Fritz after defeating Tommy Paul last time out.
Meanwhile, Rybakina reigned supreme at Indian Wells after coming out on top against Aryna Sabalenka in the final and is already in the Miami semifinals after easily dispatching Martina Trevisan in two sets.
Navratilova predicts they will complete the ‘Double Sunshine’
All eyes are on Alcaraz and Rybakina in Miami, given their high-level game displayed recently, and living legend Martina Navratilova has been impressed by both players’ performances so far.
The 18-major winner believes nobody will be able to stop their winning streak and picks Alcaraz and Rybakina to complete the ‘Double Sunshine’ by winning in Indian Wells and Miami.
“You have to go with Alcaraz and Rybakina. I think they have a really good shot at winning the ‘Sunshine Double’”, she told Tennis Channel.
“Now healthy, I don’t know how he fixed that leg but he did and he’s looking very, very sharp,” the Czech–born American former player said on Alcaraz.
“Every match is a Wimbledon final to him. He is fired up the same way for every single match and he’s in there. I just look forward to watching great matches”, she added.
If Navratilova is right and the Spanish and Kazakh win in Miami, it would only be the third time in history that two players have done the double in the same year after Steffi Graf and Pete Sampras in 1994, and Victoria Azarenka and Novak Djokovic in 2016.